Opinion: Changes India need to make in their approach to win high pressure encounters 

#1 Out of the box captaincy

Virat's captaincy moves have not been able to startle the oppositions, unlike his predecessors

Innovation is the pre-requisite for leadership. It enables the leader to bring in dynamism in his approach to guide his team members in a turbulent environment. In a game like cricket, it becomes even more necessary, considering the exogenous factors such as the pitch and the weather that come into play.

ICC tournaments have a rich legacy, which has been decorated by the heroics of the skippers of the winning sides. While it was the fiery knock of Clive Lloyd in 1975, it was a nerve racking catch by Kapil Dev which enabled the captains to win the World Cup respectively for their sides. Similarly, the introduction of pinch hitting in the first ten overs by Arjun Ranatunga in 1996, and the self-promotion of MS Dhoni in 2011 ensured that Sri Lanka and India respectively win the titles.

Such an approach has been found wanting in the captaincy of Virat Kohli. While he boasts of a good captaincy record, he has been a very orthodox captain. From using only five bowlers, to being reluctant to use a part time bowler, and having a rigid batting order, Kohli has not undertaken any out of the box move to startle the opposition.

While the Indian skipper was very proactive in the World Cup, a surprising move was still missing from the captaincy, including the promotion of Dhoni in the semi-final, which could have forced the result in India's favour.